Self-igniting cigarette



Jan. 7, 1969 l. BLACKBURN SELF-IGNITING CIGARETTE Filed Oct. 26, 1967 N s m Z 5 M4 M United States Patent 4 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A self-igniting cigarette which includes an elongated cylinder of tobacco covered by a wrapper paper. An inflammable sleeve is telescopically arranged relative to the paper and projects from one end of the tobacco. A pyrophoric material is included on the projecting extremity of the sleeve and is spaced from the tobacco. A striker is arranged telescopically relative to the sleeve and includes a striker material for slidingly engaging said pyrophoric material when the striker is pulled from the sleeve. A finger grasp tab projects from the striker for being grasped to pull the striker from the sleeve. Thus, the striker can be pulled from the sleeve and the resultant flame allowed to consume the pyrophoric material before the smoker inhales to draw the flame against the tobacco.

Background of the invention Field of the inventi0 n.-The present invention relates to self-igniting cigarettes.

Description of the prior art.-There are no self-igniting cigarettes known to applicant that include inflammable sleeves having an extremity projecting from the end of the tobacco to maintain a pyrophoric material spaced from the end of the tobacco whereby such material may be ignited, to initiate burning of the sleeve, and be burned away before the resultant flame is drawn against the tobacco.

Summary of the invention The self-igniting cigarette of present invention includes an inflammable sleeve telescopically arranged relative to the wrapper paper and projecting from one end of the tobacco. A pyrophoric material is included on the projecting extremity of the sleeve and is spaced a suflicient distance from the end of the tobacco to enable the pyrophoric material to be ignited thereby igniting the sleeve. Thus, the pyrophoric material can be consumed before the smoker draws on the cigarette to pull the flame from the sleeve against the tobacco thereby avoiding any possibility of inhaling fumes from the pyrophoric material.

A striker is arranged telescopically with respect to the sleeve and includes striking material normally spaced behind the pyrophoric material whereby finger hold means attached to the striker may be grasped by the smokers fingers to pull the striker from the sleeve and ignite the pyrophoric material.

Other objects and features of the invention will become apparent from consideration of the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.

Description of the drawings FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of a self-igniting cigarette of present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view similar to FIG. 1 but showing the striker removed;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a modification of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view similar to FIG. 1 and showing the cigarette lighted;

FIG. 5 is a partial horizontal sectional view, in enlarged scale, taken along the lines 5--5 of FIG. 1;

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FIG. 6 is a sectional view, similar to FIG. 5, of a second modification of the self-igniting cigarette of present invention;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a third modification of the self-igniting cigarette of present invention;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view similar to FIG. 7 but showing the cigarette ignited; and

FIG. 9 is a sectional view, in enlarged scale, of the front end of the cigarette shown in FIG. 7 with the striker in position for engagement with the pyrophoric material.

Description of the preferred embodiments The self-igniting cigarette C shown in FIG. 1 includes an inflammable sleeve 13 which is received telescopically over the end of a conventional cigarette 15 and projects therefrom. A striker S is telescoped into the projecting end of the sleeve 13 and can be pulled therefrom to light the sleeve 13 for lighting the cigarette C.

Referring to FIG. 5, the cigarette C includes the usual cylinder of tobacco 17 and surrounding wrapping paper 19. The sleeve 13 is received telescopically over the extremity of the wrapping paper 19 and is of sufficiently high tensile strength to resist tearing when the striker S is pulled therefrom. The projecting extremity of the sleeve 13 includes a pyrophoric material 21 on its radially inner side.

The striker S includes a cylindrical shell 25 which is surrounded by a striking material 27, such as that used in a conventional book of matches. Referring to FIGS. 4 and 5, a pair of tabs 31 and 33 project from the front end of the shell 25 and are disposed on opposite sides thereof. In their normal position, the tabs 31 and 33 turn back into the shell 25 and extend to a point proximate the end of the cylinder of tobacco 17 and then turn back on themselves and extend adjacent one another and cooperate to form a finger grasp tab 37.

The cigarette C shown in FIG. 3 is similar to the cigarette C shown in FIGS. 1 and 5 except, instead of having a rim of pyrophoric material 21, a series of beads 41 are deposited on the radial inner periphery of the sleeve 43.

The cigarette shown in FIG. 6 is similar to that shown in FIGS. 1 through 5 except that an inflammable sleeve 44 abuts the end of a wrapper paper 45 and a coupling paper 46 is wrapped around the joint to connect the sleeve 44 and striker S to the cigarette 15.

The cigarette C" shown in FIGS. 7 through 9 includes a cigarette, generally designated 47 which is comprised of an elongated cylinder of tobacco 17 (FIG. 9) and wrapper paper 51. The wrapper 51 projects forwardly beyond the forward extremity of the tobacco cylinder 17 and receives a cylindrical sleeve 52. The sleeve 52 is affixed to the wrapper paper 51 and includes a radially outer peripheral rim of pyrophoric material 53 on its projecting end.

A striker S slides telescopically over the extremity of the cigarette 47 and includes a cylindrical shell 57 having a circumferential striking material 59 atfixed to its inner rear portion. A finger pull tab 61 normally projects forwardly of the shell 57 (FIG. 7) and is increased at its base 65 to enable the tab 61 to be bent to project radially outwardly as shown in solid lines in FIG. 7.

In use, the cigarette shown in FIGS. 1 through 5 will be packed in the configuration shown in FIG. 1. The smoker will remove the cigarette from the pack in normal fashion and when he desires to light one he will grasp the forwardly projecting finger tab 37 to slide the striker S off the front of the sleeve 13, as shown in FIG. 4. It is noted that the cigarette C is normally packed with the finger tab 37 collapsed into the striker shell 25, as shown in FIG. 5, and when they are pulled they will extend as shown in FIG. 4 to enable the smoker to get 3 a firm grasp thereon. When the striking material 27 is pulled forwardly past the pyrophoric material 21, the pyrophoric material will be ignited and will flare. The smoker will wait for the pyrophoric material to burn away, similar to the manner in which smokers allow the sulphur to burn away from the head of a conventional match, and when the flame has consumed the pyrophoric material and is burning on the sleeve 13, the smoker may then draw the flame inwardly toward the front of the tobacco cylinder 17 to ignite the tobacco, thus avoiding the unpleasant experience of inhaling chemical fumes.

The cigarette C shown in FIGS. 7 through 9 Will be packed with the slider S slid rearwardly on the cigarette 47 as shown in FIG. 7. It is noted that the sliders S of adjacent cigarettes may be positioned at different points along the length of the cigarettes 47 to stagger them throughout the pack and facilitate packaging. When the smoker removes a cigarette C" from the pack, he can bend the finger grasp tab 61 outwardly as shown in FIG. 7 and pull the striker S forwardly on the cigarette 47 and over the sleeve 52. When the striking material 59 is pulled frictionally past the pyrophoric material 53, the pyrophoric material will be ignited. When the pyrophoric material 53 has been consumed, and burning of the inflammable sleeve 52 has commenced, the smoker can draw on the cigarette 47 to pull the flame rearwardly within the sleeve 52 and against the front end of the cylinder of tobacco 17 thus igniting the tobacco.

The cigarettes of present invention are straightforward in design and convenient and inexpensive to manufacture. The cigarettes are easy to ignite and enable the pyrophoric material to be burned away before it is necessary for the smoker to draw on the cigarette to initiate burning of the tobacco, thereby avoiding inhalation of fumes from the pyrophoric material.

Various modifications and changes may be made with regard to the foregoing detailed description without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. A self-igniting cigarette comprising:

an elongated cylinder of tobacco;

a wrapper paper circumferentially surrounding said tobacco;

an inflammable sleeve at one end of said tobacco, said sleeve projecting from said one end of said tobacco and including a pyrophoric material on one side of its projecting extremity and spaced from said one end of tobacco whereby said pyrophoric material can be ignited to initiate burning of said sleeve;

means for connecting said sleeve to said wrapper;

a striker arranged telescopically relative to said sleeve;

striking material on the surface of said sleeve confronting said one side of said sleeve, said striking material normally disposed behind said pyrophoric material whereby said striker may be pulled from said sleeve to frictionally engage said striking material With said pyrophoric material to ignite said pyrophoric material; and

a finger grasp means afiixed to said striker, said finger grasp means comprising a tab aflixed to said striker and adapted to extend beyond said one end when said striker is pulled from said sleeve.

2. A self-igniting cigarette as set forth in claim 1 wherein:

said finger tab normally projects longitudinally of said cigarette and includes a circumferentially weakening crease to enable said projecting tab to be bent to extend radially outwardly from said cylinder of tobacco.

3. A self-igniting cigarette as set forth in claim 1 that includes a second tab, disposed oppositely said first mentioned tab.

4. A self-igniting cigarette as set forth in claim 1 wherein said tab extends back into said striker, substantially to the end of said tobacco, and then turns to project outwardly toward the open end of said sleeve.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 58,537 10/1866 Belcher 131-7 1,153,419 9/1915 Birmeley 131-7 1,787,650 1/1931 Winter 131-7 1,864,470 6/ 1932 Pikulski 131-7 1,874,495 8/1932 Gerou 131-7 2,130,450 9/ 1938 Weisman 131-7 2,652,060 9/1953 Shio 131-7 2,721,558 10/ 1955 Grifliths 131-7 FOREIGN PATENTS 426,746 4/ 1935 Great Britain.

JOSEPH S. REICH, Primary Examiner. 

